Christmas decorating dangers

NORTH CAROLINA -- Twinkling lights and vibrant displays make Christmas one of the most festive times of the year.

But decorating already has medics seeing an increase in falls this year.

"A lot of people don't climb ladders every day," says John Stroupe, Operations Supervisor with Medic Charlotte. "So they’re not familiar and used to doing that and so they may think they’re okay and then all of a sudden the ladder goes out from underneath of them, and they fall.”

Stroupe recommends always having a spotter when you climb a ladder.

He says it's also important to check new or old lights before hanging them to prevent fires.

Another way to prevent fires, plugging lights into separate outlets instead of piling them onto one.

But, most importantly, Stroupe says to exercise common sense to keep you and your loved ones safe this year.